Railway signal-torpedo.



F. BUTCHER.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDQ. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16. 1916.

1,256,990. Patented Feb.19,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

2 Smzns-suzn 2.

gnaw/141cm FRANK BUTCHER, OF VERSAILLES, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CENTRAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF JERSEY.

To all whom it may concern) 7 Be it known that I, FRANK Dnronnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Versailles, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hallway Signal-Torpedoes,

of which the following is a specification, reference-being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in railway signal torpedoes, and pertains to a paper or fiber casetorpedo circular in form with a bulged top, which type is referred to in the trade sometimes as button-top and at other times as bulls-eye torpedoes. The primary object of my present invention is to provide a paper case topedo of the foregoing type with a metal ring-like clamp for closing the abutting edges of the several parts of the case in such a tight manner as to make awaterproof joint without the use of cement.

A further object of my invention is to provide a metal ring-like clamp closure for the aforesaid type of paper case torpedo, which not only serves to make a water-tight joint without the use of cement, but also. leaves the paper bottom of the torpedo exposed so that the cement holding the sand to the bottom is placed on the paper surface instead of a metal surface thereby making it easier to apply and not liable to peel as when applied to metal and therefore more efficient.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a torpedo with my improved metal clamp applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of Fig. 1.. V I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the abutting edges of the paper case and metal clamp.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the several parts going to make up the torpedo, the parts shown in separated relation.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing an additional metal clamp for uniting a spring railengaging strap to the torpedo.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the con struction shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a detached broken perspective view of the clamping ring.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 is a PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 1 of the flange 3,

- type of metal clip A CORPORATION OF NEW RAILWAY sienat-ronrnno.

buttontop or bulged portion of the torped which iscomposed of paper or suitable fiber. Placed within this button :top 1, is a suitable 'inolded qr plastic explosive 2. This button top 1 is provided with a laterally extending annular flange 3. After the explosive 2 is placed within the top 1, a. paper disk 4 is placed outside of the explosive and of a size sufiicient to abut or engage the under side of the flange 3, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A second rail-strap holdmg paper disk 5 is placed outside of the disk 4, and is of a size corresponding therewith, and is provided With suitable openings 6, for .the reception of a rail engaging strap 7.

These parts 1 to 5, inclusive, assembled as described, are placed in a clamping ring 8, which in its unclamping shape is essentially L-shape in cross-section. With these parts so assembled the upwardly extending flange 9 is clamped down upon the outside and the lower wall or portion 10 of this clamping ring 8 is under and against the disk 5. This clamping action is performed by suitable dies (not shown) so that the edges 11 and 12 of the walls 9 and 10 are caused to tightly clamp the several engaging portions 3, 4L and 5 of the case. It will be observedfrom Figs. 3 and 7 that the clamping ring 8 is approximately U-shaped in cross-section with the under leg or wall 10 of the U preferably longer than the upper Wall 3.

By reason of this type of clamping ring,

'I am enabled to force the two walls 10 and 3 so tight that they compress and hold the parts 3, 4L and 5, so tight as to make a watertight joint, and this is facilitated by being able .to force inward the edges 11 and 12 of the upper and lower wall.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I show a well-known 13 for holding the strap 14 to the torpedo, instead of having it pass through openings in the wall 5, and this is particularly intended for use in connecting a spring strap 14: to the torpedo. The opening out of the spring-rail strap 14: causes a strain on the holding member so great that paper or fiber is not well adapted to withstand the strain, and hence when a spring strap is to be used, the metal clip 13 is preferably provided.

From my experience in the manufacture Patented n t. is, 1918. 6,1916. Seria1No.125,89l.

acvolatilei-character; consistency :-0f the cement is constantly changing and'-it;,requires skill and 'careto .-.keep the Y which is quickly and accurately performed of paper torpedoes, the uniting of theparts of the paper case by cement has been found to be" commercially successful when all the conditions areexa'ctly right, viz., when the proper kind of cement is used and when it is carefully and properly placed on the parts by the, persons assembling and cementing V It has also been found that the character ofv waterpro.of...cement togbe;

fthe torpedoes;

usedis such that the dissolving liquidis of "Because of this the cement in the 1 proper condition tov afford Again, the cement'must be carefully applied so as to cover properly all'o'f theparts to be cemented together.

- shown in It iswell-known to thoseskilledinthe art thatthese torpedoes are manufacturediand sold'at a price generally less than two cents apiece and, consequently, cheap labor must be employed to do the work and the work must be rapidly done to be able to manu facture and sell the torpedoes at that price and with a profit, to which expense must be "added the over-head expense.

The necessity for carefulness in the consistency of the-cement and the applying of it to the torpedo, is obviated by the use of a ring-like clamp, such as hereinshown and described. These clamps. when in the form Fig; 4c, are manufactured by 'machinery rapidly and" are always accurate and theclamping ringsare applied by suit able dies; '(not shown) whichj'will always insure the'exact and proper amount of pre'ssure to accomplish a water-tight joint and without the exercise of. any judgment on the part of the 'operatorQ Itfisan operation by a machine in the hands of cheap labor.

4 to Lalferty, N 0.676327, of June 11th 1901. These torpedoes were for'several years man amjaware that it isnot new to provide a'metal clamp fora paper case torpedo,

such, for instance, as is shown in the patent '7 ufactured and sold, but greatydifiiculty was s encountered in making av tight could not be'tightly clamped,

packing flangeowas necessary; The practical difliculty found with this type of tor pedorwas thatthe parts ofthe papercase the prior structures-the bottom wall of the clamp :fextended entirely across the bottom of the paper case possibility of forcing the edges of the two It'did not provide the walls tightly against the adjoining parts of the paper-case, therefore a packing flange was necessary, as stated in that patent All of these practicaldifficulties areovercome by the use of my type of torpedolwithl'he surrounding flange extending beyond the exildhieSbt this patent may be obtained for ring can 7 -.'parts of the case together andmake a' water- 'that purpose.

proof joint ofathe abutting proper and satisfactory results.

such for instance, '5; and 6, although directly to'the paper case.

and the said clamping memberr a -2. A fiber railway signal torpedo of several parts,

,7 ing beyond 'the' joint and when as in lplosive and the clamping ring approxi 'mately U -shaped in cross-section, whereby 6:

the upper and lower walls of'the clamping be made to tightly clamp the paper tight joint,an d in a manner always uniform and'accurateby the use of machlneryfor ;lVl1ile -I prefer to use the second paper 'disk,5,'I desire it to be understood that this is not essential forithe successful use of the clamping ringto make a tight and watermembers of the paper case. Of; course, by omitting the outer be provided forjholding the rail strap 7,

as that shown in Figs. any other of the various paper'disk 5, some other; meansmust ways SllOWIl' lI} the art for counectingthe" V rail engaging strap that would be'adapted to this structure could be used. 7 V i This 'ring-like clamp leaves the bottom of the paper case of thetorpedo exposed, so that the sanded coating 15 can be applied Having thus described my inventi0n,what

to secure by Letters Patbutton-top type, comprising a case made up an explosive compound therein, the peripheries of the parts of the flanges, the l 7 of the case provided withiannular flanges project-V, V

explosive, and 3 a ring-like metal clamp rapproximately U-shaped in cross-section, said member embracing the said flanges and the parallel parts of the clamping member tightly: forcing and compressingthe ad together and the edges tions forcing tightly agalnst and compress ing the outer'sides of the flanges, whereby a water-tight joint is formed between the; flanges and the said clampinglmemb er. i

p In testimony whereof lzhereuntofaftixlmy 120 signature in the presence of two 7 witnesses.

FRANKDUTVCHER;

witnesse 1 IAXXA-IBVEVAN, f R. W. Jumirn. f'

five cents each, by addres'sin'g the flominissioiiei of l'atnts, v Washington, D. O. v i V acent faces of said flanges j of the parallelpor- 

